ELEMENTARY Casts Natalie Dormer as Irene Adler

At last, CBS' Sherlock Holmes series Elementary has found "The Woman."

The network has announced that actress Natalie Dormer has been cast as Irene Adler, the prime romantic interest for Sherlock Holmes, for a three-episode arc ending the show's first season.  Adler was first mentioned in the seventh episode, "One Way to Get Off," as a former love interest of Holmes, who was later revealed in "M." as murdered by Sebastian Moran's employer, Moriarty.  Adler's death sent Holmes into his downward spiral of drug addiction that set up his pairing with Dr. Joan Watson.

The character of Irene Adler first appeared in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short story "A Scandal in Bohemia" in July 1891 and was initially described as follows:

"To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex."

Adler was recently featured in the Sherlock episode "A Scandal in Belgravia," played by Lara Pulver, and also was in the movies Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, played by Rachel McAdams.

"We're moving to the next chapter in our show -- and in some ways, to a previous chapter in Holmes' story," said executive producer and creator Rob Doherty.  "Irene Adler is perhaps the most pivotal relationship in Sherlock's life, and I can't think of an actress better suited to the challenge than Natalie."

Dormer also plays Margaery Tyrell on the HBO series Game of Thrones and also starred as Anne Boleyn on Showtime's The Tudors.  Her film credits include Captain America: The First Avenger and the upcoming movies The Counselor and Rush.

Elementary airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on CBS and Dormer's first episode, "Risk Management," is scheduled for May 9th.